Til Death Does Part Us
by CountSheep
Summary: There was no way for any agent to live a life with a family. Why should Sanford Be any different. Madness Combat Fic
1. Chapter 1

"When Death Does Part" CH1

'Til death do us part. It had been a phrase that started and ended any Anti-A.A.H.W agent's ability to ever lead a semi-normal life. It was never even asked before Sanford had come around. He had a girl that he loved. Had proposed to her just before he had been recruited. The Higher Powers had warned him that his line of work would never let him live that sort of life.

He was a killer. An agent of madness. But still he went on and married her. Years had passed. He was hardly ever home from work. And when he was it was for only a few nights at a time. He missed so much. He even missed his twins being born. To them he might as well have been just another myth, like the boogeyman. But still his wife was happy. Or at least she seemed that way. The kids were growing up happy and healthy.

But that phrase. 'Til death do us part. Was always floating around in his mind. Why? What did a wedding vow have to do with anything? He ignored the way it nagged at him on every assignment. Until he made his first mistake. A door rigged with explosives that, when he opened, blew away half of his body.

Several days passed. His partner Deimos had been there to welcome him back to life when the Higher powers finally resurrected him. He had no interest in what the technician said. That phrase was filling his whole thoughts with dread. He never even finished that assignment. He was already on his way back to the organization's facility. He was going back home. Hoping to God that the higher powers could put his mind at ease.

It was a hope wasted. The words that had come from the lips of the Higher Powers ripped any sort of hope he had left from his body.

"Is that why we can't marry?" his words were filled with accusation.

"We were never sure. But now that we are, it will now be that no agent may have any ties to civilians. Not even a marriage."

Sanford was sitting outside of the building. It couldn't have been true. He had to make sure. He took his keys and stood to get to his car. But a voice behind him stopped him.

"You need to go back. Deimos had to finish the assignment by himself. You don't deserve a day off." Hank. How did that bastard manage to be everywhere at once. Wasn't he supposed to be somewhere in Nevada?

"I can't stay. I have a wife."

"You _had _a wife."

"She's at home waiting for me."

"No she isn't, and you know it."

"She'll be there."

"Like you said you would be there for the twins being born?"

"Shut Up! SHUT THE FUCK UP!!"

Sanford had been pretty sure of himself when he tore out of the parking lot. But now…in that empty house. He was only sure of what he had left. An empty house, an empty bottle now on the ground by his feet, and an empty feeling inside.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

He was at his wits end. And who the fuck should come knocking at his front door than his chain smoking partner, Deimos.

"San? Hey, open up! Hank told me what happened."

Hank…if he ever ran into that son of a bitch again, he'd put his hook right through his fucking forehead. But even more so he just didn't want to deal with the annoying techie outside his front door

"Get the fuck away!"

There was an odd silence. Odd in that Deimos never shut up when he became involved with the affairs of others. The technician had gotten some odd personality quirk after his last resurrection. He used to never give 2 shits about anyone other than himself. Maybe the Higher Powers gave him different personality. Whatever. The younger man needed an attitude adjustment and they had the wrench to do it.

His musings were interrupted by a loud explosion that was drown out by the loud crack of his front door being blown in, sending splintering wood everywhere. The explosion itself left him dazed, falling flat on his ass as an agitated Deimos crossed the threshold.

"San…"

Sanford regained his composure damn near instantly.

"What the Fuck is wrong with you?! A breeching charge? Seriously?!" Are you out of your fucking mind?! You-"

His words were cut off by the sound of screaming tires.

"Who was that?

"Hank. He drove me over here."

"That son of a bitch!"

Sanford felt his temper rise and desperately wish he hadn't left his hook back on that mission.

Deimos knelt down in front of his partner. He lifted a hand to brush the dust and bits of wood from Sanford's hair, but the older man swatted his hand away. The last thing he wanted was anyone touching him.

"I'm sorry but…When he told me I didn't think you'd want to be alone tonight. Was I wrong?"

Deimos waited for an answer and when none came he merely smiled sympathetically.

"I guess I was…I'll see you later then."

Later on Sanford would argue about why he really did it. Why he really wanted Deimos to stay.

But when the younger man moved to get up he was yanked back down by the hood of his jacket. He gagged as he fell back, landing nearly in Sanford's lap.

"You just blew in my front door with a breeching charge and you think you can just walk out and leave it that way?"

His face was blank but his voice was dripping with rhetoric.

"Um…no?"

"That's what I thought."

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Deimos had grown since his first day as an agent. Perhaps not in maturity but in common sense. He watched as Sanford rose from his seat on the floor, retrieved his keys and headed for the doorway. He stopped and turned to the techie and obviously waiting for him to follow. And the younger man complied without comment or hesitation. Common sense was screaming in his head to keep his mouth shut and just do what he was told.

The drive was awkward. Sanford was eerily calm as he drove. Deimos kept a vigilant eye on the man. He hadn't really noticed the immense change his partner had gone through until just now. His skin had turned from a healthy tan to a pale slate grey. His face had become gaunt, his eyes seemed almost hollow. Was this what happened when you were resurrected? Deimos shifted in his seat, putting an elbow on the door, his vision drifting to watch the night as it passed by.

It was a nostalgic feeling. Just the two of them. Driving. Not really sure what was waiting for them when the ignition was finally cut. But now it was just Deimos who didn't know where they were going. Maybe that was why his partner seemed so calm. The familiarity that reminded him of when things were still the same. Just the simple monotony. Something that, no matter how many time either died, would remain the same. Monotony.

Sanford pulled to a stop in a parking lot of a plaza. Deimos leaned forward to peer out of the cracked windshield.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!"

Sanford cocked an eyebrow.

"Problem?"

Deimos knew a rhetorical question when he heard one. He wished he had kept silent.

"Um…no."

The technician exited the car and followed his partner into the hardware store.

"YOU'RE the one that destroyed the front door. YOU can be the one that helps me fix the damn thing."

TBC


End file.
